Bath tub safety divider

ABSTRACT

As a bath tub accessory, a transverse vertical panel carried on an environment-anchored, length-adjustable horizontal frame and thereby providing a foot abutment selectably shortening the tub to the user&#39;&#39;s size and so minimize risk, to aged, infant, debilitated or handicapped users, of drowning and other dangers attendant upon possibility of slipping supine in the tub; with inclusion also of rail structure and of an emergency drain actuator disposed conveniently to the shortened space.

United States Patent n91 Dubiel 1 Jan. 30, 1973 [54] BATH TUB SAFETY DIVIDER [76] Inventor: Stephen Dubiel, 12210 Detroit Ave.,

Cleveland, Ohio 441 16 [22] Filed: Feb. 3,1971

[21] Appl. No.: 112,150

[52] U.S. Cl ..4/l85 [51] lnt.Cl. ..A47k 3/12 [58] Field of Search ..4/l83, 185 S, 185 HB [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,765,476 10/1956 Moore ..4/l83 X 904,133 11/1908 Kennedy ..4/l83 987,646 3/1911 Schmidt ..4/185 HB 990,370 4/1911 Minns ..4/183 990,371 4/1911 Minns ..4/183 990,372 4/1911 Minns ..4/l83 1,051,741 1/1913 Litton ..4/l83 1,817,330 8/1931 Wilson,.lr. ..4/183 2,604,637 7/1952 Moore ..4/185 HB FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,260,152 3/1961 France ..4/l83 Primary Examiner Houston S. Bell, Jr. Assistant ExaminerDonald B. Massenberg An0rneyEly, Golrick & Flynn [57] ABSTRACT As a bath tub accessory, a transverse vertical panel carried on an environment-anchored, length-adjustable horizontal frame and thereby providing a foot abutment selectably shortening the tub to the users size and so minimize risk, to aged, infant, debilitated or handicapped users, of drowning and other dangers attendant upon possibility of slipping supine in the tub; with inclusion also of rail structure and of an emergency drain actuator disposed conveniently to the shortened space.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures BATH TUB SAFETY DIVIDER For persons handicapped or infirm by age, congenital deformity, accident, wasting or crippling disease or other debilitating conditions, also for infants and young children, a bath tub is a place of danger, because of the elevation of the side to be stepped over in entering and leaving the tub associated with the often slippery footing in and around the tub as conductive to accidental falls, and the hardness and rigidity of structures encountered in falls; all of which present constant risk of injury by bone fractures, concussions, serious strains, or sprains or at the least, painful bruising. Further, and perhaps less popularly so considered, except in the case of infants, there is present a risk of drowning, or at least of the frightening situation of being, or at least temporarily seeming to be, trapped supine and helpless in a water-filled tub, when by weakness, fainting or otherwise an unattended person, say from a sitting or half reclining position, slips down to a supine position, as may occur because of excessive length of the tub space as compared to the height or effective leg length of the user.

By the present invention there is provided advantageously a comparatively simple, rugged tub-shortening divider accessory or device which substantially eliminates the described drowning risk and advantageously minimizes certain of the other named dangers. Though the invention is herein described in terms of a bath tub environment as may be present in residences, hospitals, hotels, etc., it also is advantageously useful in analogous situations, such as therapeutic baths and the like.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide an accessory or safety device for bath tubs and the like which minimizes one or more of the risks to the tub user.

Another object is the provision of a device effectively shortening the tub length to the size of the user, so as to minimize or substantially eliminate the described drowning danger.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following descriptions and the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a generalized view in perspective of a typical bath tub environment with a device embodying the invention installed therein;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the installed devices taken as indicated by 22 in FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the device taken as indicated by line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a detail of an adjustment.

In the drawing, FIG. 1, there appears a modern type bath tub T built into a recess formed between a room wall Ws and, running perpendicular to Ws, room walls or partitions Wh and Wf, enclosing the tub at its head and foot respectively; the wall portion Wf usually mounting the tub faucet water valves 10, ll, enclosing the supply piping therefore and mixing connection to the tub water inlet spout 12, and also enclosing the control valve mechanism for the tub outlet 13 operated by a drain operator lever 14 on the foot or front end wall 15.

As one embodiment of the invention to shorten the effectively used length of the elongated water-receiving and user-occupied space of the tub, a tub divider device D is shown as comprising in a symmetrical structure a frame F secured to the tub environment to support a generally upright divider panel P extending transversely of the tub, which rather than assuming a back rest form shortening the tub at the head end, here in the preferred form is adapted to provide a firm foot abutment for the user, shortening the tub from the tub foot or front end.

The frame F includes as a major frame a first flat bottom U-shaped element in which a transverse straight horizontal reach or yoke portion 21 supports panel P and other structure, and horizontal parallel spaced integral legs 22, 22, are adjustably telescoped into and releasably secured in the leg extensions 23, 23, the front ends of which are in turn secured by bracket means 24, 24, to tub environment such as the wall or partition Wf or to the tub itself.

As a simple frame anchoring expedient, for each frame leg, a bracket 24 may take the form of a casting having a base secured by screws or other apt means to the structure of wall Wf and a vertical socket to receive short vertically bent end portion of the respective leg extension, which may be necked down to minimize the socket size.

In a smaller vertical flat bottom U-shaped frame element, vertical parallel legs 26 are rigidly secured as by welding to yoke 21 and joined by their integral bottom yoke 27, resting through protective pads or feet 28 on the tub bottom 29, to support the rear of the entire frame, and thus forming a minor rectangular frame on or within which plate means may be secured to form a firm foot abutment panel means. The latter may be a single rigid plate, or a pair of similar plates 30 mounted substantially coplanar, either by links connecting them to the legs 26 on the sides and to each other at adjacent edges, or by leg-spanning support rods or straps to which they are secured, or even a firm mesh or webbing secured to the vertical frame.

Preferably the span of yoke 21 is so chosen that the legs 22 can be more or less centered above and in vertically spaced relation to the tub longitudinal lateral top areas of current standard tubs, and the length of bottom yoke-27 chosen similarly relative to standard interior widths, so that along with the radius of the bend into legs 26 the spacing of the latter from the tub side walls will be relatively small effectively to fill the lower tub region as a foot abutment.

A lateral pad 32 adjustably projecting on the inside horizontal leg 22 to engage the surface of wall Ws and preferably a similar lateral pad 33 on outer vertical leg 26 engageable with the adjacent tub wall, aided by pads 28, both stabilize the frame and panel position and also protect the tub finish.

Also rigidly secured to the horizontal transverse frame reach or yoke 21, as by welding, are the shorter vertical legs 35 of an upper vertical flat bottom U- shaped, but inverted, frame element, the straight yoke reach 36 of which is thus spaced parallel above 21 to afford, at a height markedly above tub top level, a safety grip rail additional to the lower grip rail portions actually present by virtue of the reach 21, and as well the forwardly extending portions of frame legs 23-23 forming extensible lateral rails spaced above the tub at each side.

Obviously the upper and lower frames could comprise a single formed rectangular frame secured to 21; or with the lower vertical frame tubular and leg upper ends open, the latter may receive the legs of the upper frame in telescoping vertically adjusted and securable relation, whereby the level of the grip rail 36 may be adjusted.

With tubular stock, (see FIG. 4) manually releasable spring urged pins 46 selectively engageable in selected ones of a series of longitudinally spaced holes 45 in the inner telescoped member conveniently supply length locking means between telescoped adjustable elements, although between horizontal leg portions 22-23, threaded connections may be used for length adjustment, especially where bent ends of extensions 23 are inserted into vertical sockets of the brackets.

Not only as a matter of convenience, but of added safety for ready tub drainage, an elongated, preferably flexible, element 40 with front end adapted for connection to the drain valve operating lever 14 has its rear portion slideably supported on the back frame region, thus for example, slideably journalled in an aperture through 21, behind which its rear free end is provided with a grip or manipulating knob 42. Thus means for opening the tub outlet are presented to the user without need of reaching over the frame to lever 14; and further the drainage of the occupied space is not markedly impeded by the divider or foot abutment, since there is clearance between the bottom and side edges and the surrounding tub walls. The change in frame length may be here accommodated by excess length in 40, whereby the knob bearing end extends beyond 21 for shorter lengths, with or without also a length adjusting connection at its other end to 14.

The frame structures may be aptly formed of tubular metal stock appropriately corrosion resistant in metal or finish; and so also plates 30 may be corrosion resistant metal, or formed of plastic, wood or metal mesh.

I claim:

' l. A safety divider device for a bath tub and like tubs having a water receiving space elongated to accommodate a reclining person, comprising:

abutment'panel means disposable generally upright and transversely of said tub in said space; and means for mounting said panel means secured spaced from the tub outlet end at a position selected to define with the other tub end, a usable length of said space shortened for safety of the user;

said panel means having bottom and sides disposable in close proximity respectively to thetub bottom and sides of said space and affording an effective foot abutment for the tub user;

said mounting means comprising at each side of the abutment panel means elongated horizontal longitudinally extensible lateral rail means each including a fixed portion securable to the room wall and a panel supporting movable portion shiftable longitudinally of the said space relative to said fixed portion.

2. A device as described in claim 1, including a hand grip rail supported by said movable portions and having a horizontal grip reach spaced above the levels of said panel means and said fixed portion.

3. A device as described in claim 1, with the means for mounting said panel means comprising:

a flat bottom ended U-shaped ma or frame providing parallel horizontal legs as said movable portions joined by a yoke portion transverse of the tub space,

leg extensions as said fixed portions in telescoped relation with respective legs and securable thereto for selected leg length, means for securing the free ends of the leg extensions in the tub environment against at least longitudinal shift, and

a flat bottom U-shaped element with upper ends of the legs thereof rigidly secured to said yoke portion and providing a panel mounting minor frame.

4. A device as described in claim 3, including, as means for actuating a tub drain operating handle, elongated means having one end adjacent the shortened space provided with a grip knob and slidably supported in said yoke portion and the other end adapted for connection to an operating handle of said tub.

5. A device as described in claim 3, wherein the fiat bottom U-shaped major and minor frames are formed tubular frames welded into a rigid structure; and an inverted flat bottom U-shaped tubular element has its leg ends similarly welded to the said yoke portion to provide a hand grip reach spaced parallel to and above the first said yoke portion.

6. A device as described in claim 3, wherein the last said means comprise respective brackets having sockets and screw securable bases, and

said leg extensions have respective free ends formed to engage in the respective sockets. 

1. A safety divider device for a bath tub and like tubs having a water receiving space elongated to accommodate a reclining person, comprising: abutment panel means disposable generally upright and transversely of said tub in said space; and means for mounting said panel means secured spaced from the tub outlet end at a position selected to define with the other tub end, a usable length of said space shortened for safety of the user; said panel means having bottom and sides disposable in close proximity respectively to the tub bottom and sides of said space and affording an effective foot abutment for the tub user; said mounting means comprising at each side of the abutment panel means elongated horizontal longitudinally extensible lateral rail means each including a fixed portion securable to the room wall and a panel supporting movable portion shiftable longitudinally of the said space relative to said fixed portion.
 1. A safety divider device for a bath tub and like tubs having a water receiving space elongated to accommodate a reclining person, comprising: abutment panel means disposable generally upright and transversely of said tub in said space; and means for mounting said panel means secured spaced from the tub outlet end at a position selected to define with the other tub end, a usable length of said space shortened for safety of the user; said panel means having bottom and sides disposable in close proximity respectively to the tub bottom and sides of said space and affording an effective foot abutment for the tub user; said mounting means comprising at each side of the abutment panel means elongated horizontal longitudinally extensible lateral rail means each including a fixed portion securable to the room wall and a panel supporting movable portion shiftable longitudinally of the said space relative to said fixed portion.
 2. A device as described in claim 1, including a hand grip rail supported by said movable portions and having a horizontal grip reach spaced above the levels of said panel means and said fixed portion.
 3. A device as described in claim 1, with the means for mounting said panel means comprising: a flat bottom ended U-shaped major frame providing parallel horizontal legs as said movable portions joined by a yoke portion transverse of the tub space, leg extensions as said fixed portions in telescoped relation with respective legs and securable thereto for selected leg length, means for securing the free ends of the leg extensions in the tub environment against at least longitudinal shift, and a flat bottom U-shaped element with upper ends of the legs thereof rigidly secured to said yoke portion and providing a panel mounting minor frame.
 4. A device as described in claim 3, including, as means for actuating a tub drain operating handle, elongated means having one end adjacent the shortened space provided with a grip knob and slidably supported in said yoke portion and the other end adapted for connection to an operating handle of said tub.
 5. A device as described in claim 3, wherein the flat bottom U-shaped major and minor frames are formed tubular frames welded into a rigid structure; and an inverted flat bottom U-shaped tubular element has its leg ends similarly welded to the said yoke portion to provide a hand grip reach spaced parallel to and above the first said yoke portion. 